Machine for Performance of Front Squat Exercises

ABSTRACT

A weight horn is supported on a bearing housing that slides along two vertical guide rails. The upper and lower ends of the vertical guide rails are connected to tubular sleeves that slide along horizontal guide rails, which are enclosed by a rectangular frame. A roller pad extends from the opposite side of the weight horn, perpendicular to the horizontal guide rails and over a platform containing an adjustable seat, calf support and foot pads. The weight lifter performs the movement by standing upright with his/her legs positioned between the calf support and foot pads, wrapping his/her arms around the roller pad, and squatting onto the seat. The combination of vertical and horizontal guide rails allows the weighted roller pad to travel a curved path downward and backward as the lifter descends into the squat position. The dual rail configuration for both the vertical and horizontal guide rails prevents jamming of the mechanisms if the weight lifter twists his/her torso during the squat.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of exercise equipment, and more particularly to weighted exercise machines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In doing a conventional front squat movement, a barbell is typically supported against the chest/shoulder area of the front torso. As currently performed, the front squat movement demands that the weight lifter manually grip and hold the barbell against his/her body, typically in the cross-armed fashion, as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,932. While a shoulder harness, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,398, can also be used, it still requires that the barbell be manually gripped. In both cases, a slip of the lifter's hands can cause him/her to lose control of the barbell, resulting in potential injury. A principal objective of the present invention is to provide a safer, more efficient means for doing front squat exercises.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the present invention, a weight horn is supported on a bearing housing that slides along two vertical guide rails. The upper and lower ends of the vertical guide rails are connected to tubular sleeves that slide along horizontal guide rails, which are enclosed by a rectangular frame. A roller pad extends from the opposite side of the weight horn, perpendicular to the horizontal guide rails and over a platform containing an adjustable seat, calf support and foot restraints. The weight lifter performs the movement by standing upright with his/her legs positioned between the calf support and foot pads, wrapping his/her arms around the roller pad, and squatting onto the seat.

The combination of vertical and horizontal guide rails in the present invention allows the weighted roller pad to travel a curved path downward and backward as the weight lifter descends into the squat position. As shown in FIG. 1, in order for the roller pad 42 to follow a curved path as the lifter squats and stands, the roller pad 42 must be free to move horizontally and vertically at the same time, which the orthogonal combination rail configuration of the present invention enables. Furthermore, the dual rail configuration for both the vertical and horizontal guide rails prevents jamming of the mechanisms if the weight lifter twists his/her torso during the squat. Optionally, the roller pad can also be made to rotate axially and/or to revolve around a swivel arm for additional multi-directional movement.

The foregoing summarizes the general design features of the present invention. In the following sections, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in some detail. These specific embodiments are intended to demonstrate the feasibility of implementing the present invention in accordance with the general design features discussed above. Therefore, the detailed descriptions of these embodiments are offered for illustrative and exemplary purposes only, and they are not intended to limit the scope either of the foregoing summary description or of the claims which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a user performing a front squat exercise using one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a rear elevation view of the upright section of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a side profile view of the upright section of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a plan view of the base section of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a front elevation view of the base section of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3C is a side profile view of the base section of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a detail front end elevation view of the bottom sliding member and vertical guide rods of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the bottom sliding member and vertical guide rails taken along the line 4B-4B in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5A is a detail side elevation view of the weight housing and the guide bearing sleeves of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of one of the guide bearing sleeves taken along the line 5B-5B in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6 is a detail front profile view of the weight housing, including the weight bearing means and the weight handling means, of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a detail perspective view of the weight housing, including the weight handling means, of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a detail perspective view of the weight housing, including the weight handling means and the weight racking means, of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a detail perspective view of the dynamic weight carriage assembly of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10A is a detail side perspective view of an ergonomic padding sleeve of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10B is a detail front perspective view of the ergonomic padding sleeve of FIG. 10A; and

FIG. 10C is a detail rear perspective view of the ergonomic padding sleeve of FIG. 10A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2A-2B and FIGS. 3A-3C, one embodiment of the present invention 10 comprises an upright section 11 and a base section 14. The upright section 11 has an interior side 12 and an exterior side 13. The base section 14 has an inner base side 15 and an outer base side 16.

The upright section 11 comprises a rigid, substantially rectangular, upright frame 17, comprising a pair of parallel, generally vertical stanchions 18 19, consisting of a front stanchion 18 and a rear stanchion 19, which are spaced apart by a pair of parallel, generally horizontal cross braces 20 21, consisting of an upper cross brace 20 and a lower cross brace 21. The stanchions 18 19 and the cross braces 20 21 comprising the upright frame 17 are preferably tubular steel. As depicted in FIG. 2B, the lower cross brace 21, which can include an upright lower panel 22, connects the interior side 12 of the upright section 11 to the inner base side 15 of the base section 14 at a right angle.

The upright section 11 also comprises a dynamic weight carriage assembly 23, comprising a pair of parallel, rigid, generally horizontal, transverse guide rods 24 25, consisting of a top transverse guide rod 24 and a bottom transverse guide rod 25. The transverse guide rods 24 25 are preferably stainless steel, and they can extend from the front stanchion 18 to the rear stanchion 19. Alternatively, as depicted in FIG. 2B, the transverse guide rods 24 25 can extend from the front stanchion 18 to a medial beam 19A located between the front stanchion 18 and the rear stanchion 19 and extending generally vertically from the upper cross brace 10 to the lower cross brace 21.

Slidably mounted on the transverse rods 24 25 are two sliding members 26 27, consisting of a top sliding member 26, mounted to the top transverse guide rod 24, and a bottom sliding member 27, mounted to the bottom transverse guide rod 25. The two sliding members 26 27 are dynamically coupled together by two parallel, rigid, vertical guide rods 28. The vertical guide rods 28 are preferably stainless steel, and they synchronize the sliding movement of the sliding members 26 27 along the transverse guide rods 24 25, so as to prevent relative uneven movement of the sliding members 26 27, which would cause them to bind on the transverse guide rods 24 25.

The dynamic weight carriage assembly 23 also comprises a weight housing 29, comprising a pair of parallel, generally vertical, guide bearing sleeves 30 31, consisting of a front guide bearing sleeve 30 and a rear guide bearing sleeve 31. The guide bearing sleeves 30 31 are slidably mounted on the vertical guide rods 28, which dynamically couple the guide bearing sleeves 30 31 to the sliding members 26 27, so as to synchronize the movement of the guide bearing sleeves 30 31 along the vertical guide rods 28. This coupled synchronization prevents uneven relative movement of the guide bearing sleeves 30 31, which would cause them to bind on the vertical guide rods 28.

As best seen in FIG. 2A, the weight housing 29 has an exterior housing side 32, facing the exterior side 13 of the upright section 11, and an interior housing side 33, facing the interior side 12 of the upright section 11. From the exterior housing side 32, a weight bearing means 34 extends generally horizontally and substantially perpendicular to the upright section 11. From the interior housing side 33, a weight handling means 35 extends generally horizontally and substantially perpendicular to the upright section 11.

As best seen in FIG. 2B and FIG. 8, a weight racking means 56 extends from the interior housing side 33 and cooperates with multiple racking pegs 57, so as to support the weight housing 29 when not in use. In the embodiments illustrated in FIG. 2B and FIG. 8, the weight racking means 56 comprises a rotatable hook 59 attached to the weight housing 29, which cooperates with multiple racking pegs 57 set at several height intervals along a generally vertical racking beam 58 attached between the top sliding member 26 and the bottom sliding member 27.

As best seen in FIG. 2A and FIG. 6, the weight bearing means 34 preferably comprises a substantially cylindrical “weight horn” support bar 50, which conjugately engages one or more weight plates 51 through an axial bore 52 in each of the plates 51. Alternatively, the weight bearing means 34 can comprise the cylindrical support bar 50 connected by a cable, either directly or through one or more pulleys, to a “selectorized” weight stack, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,058, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

As depicted in FIG. 2A and FIGS. 6-8, the weight handling means 35 can have any of several configurations. In its most basic configuration, the weight handling means 35 comprises a substantially cylindrical weight bar 37, having an inner bar side 38, which transitions into the weight bearing means 34 on the exterior housing side 32, and having an outer bar side 39, which extends from the inner bar side 38 to a substantially circular weight bar end 40. In this configuration, the outer bar side 39 comprises a padded bar segment 41 that is coaxially enclosed by a resilient, substantially cylindrical padding sleeve 42. Optionally, the padding sleeve 42 is coaxially rotatable about the outer bar side 39.

Alternatively, as best seen in FIG. 2A and FIG. 8, the weight handling means 35 also comprises a generally horizontal gripping bar 45, having a central gripping portion 46 with one or more substantially arcuate segments 47. The gripping bar 45 of this type is commonly known as an “EZ curl bar.” In this configuration, the gripping bar 45 extends generally parallel to the weight bar 37 between the inner end of the padding sleeve 43 and the outer end of the padding sleeve 44. The gripping bar 45 is axially offset from the weight bar 37 by a pair of offset arms 48, which are orthogonally and rotatably connected to the ends of the padding sleeve 43 44.

Another alternative configuration of the weight handling means 35, illustrated in FIG. 7, has the outer bar side 39 axially offset from the inner bar side 38 by a linkage arm 49, which orthogonally and rotatably connects the two sides of the weight bar 38 39. In yet another version of the weight handling means 35, shown in FIG. 6, the inner offset arm 48A of the gripping bar 45 also serves as the linkage arm 49, which axially offsets the outer bar side 39 from the inner bar side 38.

FIG. 4A is a detail front end view of the bottom transverse guide rod 25 and the bottom sliding member 27 in the foreground, with a vertical guide rod 28 and the racking beam 58 in the background. In the cross-section view of FIG. 4B, exemplary internal bearings 60 of the bottom sliding member 27 are shown. While the exemplary internal bearings 60 are ball bearings, it should be understood that another bearing type, such as roller bearings, can be substituted.

FIG. 5A is a detail front view of an exemplary weight housing 29, showing the two vertical guide rods 28 and the two guide bearing sleeves 30 31. A cross-section axial view of the rear guide bearing sleeve 31 is shown in FIG. 5B.

An exemplary alternative weight racking means 56 is depicted in FIG. 9. Instead of locating the racking pegs 57 on a dedicated racking beam, the racking pegs 57, in the form of generally horizontal hooks, are located on the front stanchion 18, so that the weight housing can be racked up by putting the weight bar 37 over one of the hooked racking pegs 57, as indicated by the arrow.

As depicted in FIGS. 3A-3C, the base section 14 comprises a generally horizontal, planar base frame or base platform 36. The base section 14 further comprises an adjustable, generally horizontal seat 53, an adjustable, generally vertical calf support 54, and two adjustable, generally horizontal foot restraints 55. The user of the exercise machine 10 stands with his/her two feet in the foot restraints 55 and his/her two calves against the calf supports 54, and from this standing position squats down onto the seat 53 while grasping the weight handling means 35, so as to perform a front squat.

As depicted in FIGS. 10A-10C, an ergonomic padding sleeve 61 can optionally be substituted for the substantially cylindrical padding sleeve shown in FIG. 2A and FIGS. 6-9, and its mounting to the weight bar 37 in substantially the same as shown in the latter figures. The ergonomic padding sleeve 61 comprises a generally horizontal, convex, upper sleeve 62, which transitions in the forward direction into a generally vertical, grip flange 63. The grip flange 63, in turn, transitions in the rear direction into a central generally horizontal, bulbous, arcuate, sternum support 64, which projects generally downward between two concave arm recesses 65. The user would insert his/her arms under the sleeve 61 into the recesses 65 and grasp the grip flange 63 with his/her hands in order to lift the weight bar 37 in performing the front squat exercise.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many additions, modifications and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An exercise machine, comprising: an upright section, having an interior side and an exterior side, and a base section, having an inner base side and an outer base side; wherein the upright section comprises a rigid, substantially rectangular, upright frame, comprising a pair of parallel, generally vertical, stanchions, consisting of a front stanchion and a rear stanchion, and wherein the stanchions are spaced apart by a pair of parallel, generally horizontal, cross braces, consisting of an upper cross brace and a lower cross brace, and wherein the lower cross brace connects the interior side of the upright section to the inner base side of the base section at a substantially right angle; wherein the upright section further comprises a dynamic weight carriage assembly, comprising a pair of parallel, rigid, generally horizontal, transverse guide rods, consisting of a top transverse guide rod and a bottom transverse guide rod, and wherein each of the transverse guide rods extends from the front stanchion to the rear stanchion, or to a generally vertical medial beam between the front stanchion and the rear stanchion, and wherein a sliding member is slidably mounted on each of the transverse guide rods, and wherein the sliding members consist of a top sliding member, which is slidably mounted on the top transverse guide rod, and a bottom sliding member, which is slidably mounted on the bottom transverse guide rod, and wherein the sliding members are dynamically coupled together by a pair of parallel, rigid, generally vertical, vertical guide rods, such that the sliding members are configured for a generally horizontal, coupled horizontal sliding movement along the transverse guide rods, and such that the coupled horizontal sliding movement of the sliding members is synchronized, so as to prevent uneven movement of the top sliding member relative to the bottom sliding member, thereby preventing binding of the sliding members on the transverse guide rods; wherein the dynamic weight carriage assembly further comprises a weight housing, comprising a pair of parallel, generally vertical, guide bearing sleeves, consisting of a front guide bearing sleeve and a rear guide bearing sleeve, and wherein the guide bearing sleeves are slidably mounted on the vertical guide rods, and wherein the guide bearing sleeves are dynamically coupled by the vertical guide rods to the sliding members of the dynamic weight carriage assembly, such that the guide bearing sleeves are configured for a generally vertical, coupled vertical sliding movement along the vertical guide rods, and such that the coupled vertical sliding movement of the guide bearing sleeves is synchronized, so as to prevent uneven movement of the front guide bearing sleeve relative to the rear guide bearing sleeve, thereby preventing binding of the guide bearing sleeves on the vertical guide rods; wherein the weight housing further comprises an exterior housing side, facing the exterior side of the upright section, and an interior housing side, facing the interior side of the upright section, and wherein a weight bearing means extends generally horizontally from the exterior housing side, substantially perpendicular to the upright section, and wherein a weight handling means extends generally horizontally from the interior housing side, substantially perpendicular to the upright section, and wherein a weight racking means extends from the interior housing side and cooperates with multiple racking pegs located on the front stanchion or on a generally vertical racking beam attached between the top sliding member and the bottom sliding member; and wherein the base section comprises a generally horizontal, planar base frame or base platform, within which or on which a user of the exercise machine can stand and squat while grasping the weight handling means, so as to perform a front squat exercise.
 2. The exercise machine according to claim 1, wherein the weight handling means comprises a substantially cylindrical weight bar, having an inner bar side, which transitions into the weight bearing means on the exterior housing side, and having an outer bar side, which extends from the inner bar side to a substantially circular weight bar end, and wherein the outer bar side comprises a padded bar segment that is enclosed by a resilient padding sleeve, having two padding sleeve ends consisting of an inner padding sleeve end and an outer padding sleeve end.
 3. The exercise machine according to claim 2, wherein the padding sleeve is coaxially rotatable about the outer bar side.
 4. The exercise machine according to claim 3, wherein the weight handling means further comprises a generally horizontal gripping bar, having a central gripping portion with one or more substantially arcuate segments, wherein the gripping bar extends generally parallel to the weight bar between the inner padding sleeve end and the outer padding sleeve end, and wherein the gripping bar is axially offset from the weight bar by a pair of offset arms, which are orthogonally and rotatably connected to the padding sleeve ends.
 5. The exercise machine according to claim 3, wherein the outer bar side of the weight bar is axially offset from the inner bar side of the weight bar by a linkage arm, which orthogonally and rotatably connects the inner bar side to the outer bar side.
 6. The exercise machine according to claim 4, wherein the outer bar side of the weight bar is axially offset from the inner bar side of the weight bar by a linkage arm, which orthogonally and rotatably connects the inner bar side to the outer bar side.
 7. The exercise machine according to claim 2, wherein the weight bearing means comprises a substantially cylindrical support bar, which conjugately engages one or more weight plates through an axial bore in each of the weight plates.
 8. The exercise machine according to claim 3, wherein the weight bearing means comprises a substantially cylindrical support bar, which conjugately engages one or more weight plates through an axial bore in each of the weight plates.
 9. The exercise machine according to claim 4, wherein the weight bearing means comprises a substantially cylindrical support bar, which conjugately engages one or more weight plates through an axial bore in each of the weight plates.
 10. The exercise machine according to claim 5, wherein the weight bearing means comprises a substantially cylindrical support bar, which conjugately engages one or more weight plates through an axial bore in each of the weight plates.
 11. The exercise machine according to claim 6, wherein the weight bearing means comprises a substantially cylindrical support bar, which conjugately engages one or more weight plates through an axial bore in each of the weight plates.
 12. The exercise machine according to any one of claims 1 through 11, wherein the base section further comprises an adjustable, generally horizontal seat, an adjustable, generally vertical calf support, and two adjustable, general horizontal foot restraints, such that the user of the exercise machine can stand with two user feet engaging the foot restraints and with two user calves engaging the calf support, from which position the user can squat down onto the seat while grasping the weight handling means, so as to perform the front squat exercise. 